Suspicion
by Red n' Blue is Purple
Summary: An new teacher captures the interest of Aetlita and brings out suspicions in Ulrich and he thinks that there is something sinister behind this man. However the odds are against him since the only people who he trusts enough with these suspicions don't find fault with the man but with Ulrich instead.
1. Stranger Danger

It was the start of the new school year, something Ulrich was both excited for and resentful of. He was excited to get away from his father, reminding him each day what a failure he was, how he had no direction in life, bad influences for friends blah blah, etc. But when Ulrich was dropped of at the front gates of Kadic he felt his stomach drop to his knees, along with his bags his father had careless flung from the trunk of the car. After a warm hug to his overly emotional mother and a tense and unnecessarily firm, silent handshake from his father, Ulrich picked up his duffel bag and walked onto campus, his feet getting heavier with each step. The school was already buzzing with the excitement of students, boasting about their summer activites and verbally pondering the upcoming year. They showed each other trinkets and pictures from their summers or their new schedules. Ulrich groaned, beginning to think that checking in early was a bad idea, even if it meant getting away from his family. He anxiously looked around seeing if he could find someone he knew but to no avail. After heading to the main office and getting the key to his room he dragged his stuff to the dorm building and went to his new room.

It was standard issue with a bed up against the wall, a closet adjacent to it, a desk to the far end of the room in front of the window and below some shelves for books and the sort and next to it a chair which was leaned up against the wall to try to hide for it shabby leaned state. It wasn't a luxurious suite, but it would do. It took Ulrich a while to realize that I was a single and not a double. He wouldn't have Odd(or Jeremy) as his roommate. Hell, he would have no roommate at all. Ulrich frowned realizing what an impediment this was. Who knew how long it would take to sneak to Odd's room wherever it was an wake him up, in case of a XANA attack. It would take them at leats ten minutes too…It took Ulrich a while to also realize that there was no more XANA. They took him out last year and had (finally) saved the world for the last time. It wasn't easy though. They lost Franz Hopper but Aelita bounced back fairly quickly and their lives were back to normal.

But Ulrich had this feeling…this sense of dread that always crept up on him whenever he thought of XANA. Even though it wasn't a breeze taking out the evil virus and saving the world practically everyday, he always believed that the fight would be a little bit longer and harder. He was never truly convinced. Every unusual occurance reeked of XANA to him and he would run down to the factory and boot up the super computeronly to discover that all was well.

Ulrich sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands and sighed deeply running his hands over his face and in his hair repeatedly. He could tell that this was going to be a bad year. Not only did he not have Odd or even Jeremy as a room mate, he could feel that he would be alone in his classes too. Ulrich didn't know what but he had some qualms about the upcoming school year and wanted to be as close to his friends as possible. Ulrich checked his phone. It was almost six and he figured he should go to the administrative office and get his schedule so he could properly prepare for the school year. He wanted to make even more of an effort to please his family. Maybe then his dad's insults would stop along with his mother's tears.

He went out into the courtyard where the crowd of students that flooded the area died down to a trickle. It was the occasional new student running from building to building, or someone running to office for dorm changes. Ulrich dug his hand into his pockets, feeling a bit tense at the lack of human activity. Ulrich felt something in the air, some kind of charge, like electricity. The air was thick with fear and mystery and Ulrich's feet moved a little faster. He heard footsteps behind him, on the off beat of his own. He sped up and slowed down and the stranger's footsteps followed his fluctuating pattern. Ulrich surreptitiously glanced over his shoulder but didn't get a full look at the person, only knew that there was one. He quickly rounded a corner of an class room building, that didn't lead him to his destination and waited behind a wooden column. The footsteps slowed down and became quieter but were still persistent. Ulrich got down into a stance and balled up his fist ready to strike. The footsteps came closer and as a sneaker came into view Ulrich pulled back and then executed a right hook that connected with the strangers face. Ulrich heard him grunt as he hit the ground and Ulrich wasted no time straddling his stalker, another punch ready to fly. The stranger turned his half swollen and bruised face to Ulrich.

"Odd?"

"Ow, Ulrich, what the hell?"

Ulrich got up and extended a hand to his friend who begrudgingly accepted. Odd brushed the dirt off his purple zip up and black jeans.

"Some greeting," he murmured sarcastically, making sure his hair was stil in its odd(ha!) pointy shape.

"Well what were you doing sneaking up on me?" Ulrich asked.

"I was just trying to surprise you," Odd said innocently.

"Yeah, well you scared the shit out of me! Don't do it again!"

"Jeez ok I'm sorry!"

Ulrich sighed and put a light hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Don't mind me I'm just a bit wound up," he explained sadly. "It was a rough summer".

Odd nodded understandingly. He knew that Ulrich didn't have the loving parents he was not always grateful for and took for granted. But he still gave his friend a sympathetic ear to vent whenever he needed it.

"So where you heading?" Odd asked.

"The administrative office for my schedule, I forgot to pick it up,"

"Yea me too,"

The two boys continued their journey to retrieve their schedules.

"So what about you?" Ulrich asked to pass the time on their journey. "What did you do this summer?"

"Eh, bum around the house, a few art classes, some family visited, nothing special" Odd replied in a bored tone waving his hand lazily in the air.

"Any summer flings I should know about?" Ulrich asked with a smirk.

"Ha! you have no idea,"

They both chuckled before Odd continued,

"So Ulrich did _you_ find a lady friend over the summer?" he asked with waggling blonde eyebrows.

"Pfft no,"

"Still hung up on Yumi?"

Ulrich stopped walking. He never really thought of Yumi that much over the summer. With XANa gone he had a chance to improve his grades and now that William was back, Ulrich and Yumi didn't seem to talk as much as they used to. They were still friends but had the distance that prevented them from a chance of becoming something more. The thing that Ulrich had fought almost two years for, even risking the safety of the world, to get was beginning to seem less and less of a desired implementation.

"Well I'm sure when you see her, you'll do that thing where you get tongue-tied to the point you switch each other's name in sentences,"

"Odd..."Ulrich groaned.

"She told me she thinks its cute,"

They reached the office and went inside and recieved their schedule before heading outside to compare them.

"Let's see we got English and Chemistry together," Ulrich said slowly as he scanned over his schedule

"Yea and Gym," Odd chimed in.

"Hey do you have this new class you have to take that's not part of the core curriculum?"

"Yeah its weird we've never had these before,"

"What do you have?"

"Business and Financing," Odd groaned. "You?"

"Psychology,"Ulrich replied bitterly

"Jealous!"

"What's so interesting about figuring out what makes people minds work?"

"Everything! Can you imagine the mind games you'd use to screw with people's heads?"

"Excuse me,"

Both boys turned around to the man who had just materialized in front of them who they had never seen before. He was tall with short, black, curly hair. His eyes were an curious onyx shade that were so entrancing and seemed to flicker, or shimmer, or even pulsate. His face was unusually stoic. It lacked any wrinkles even though Ulrich would put him in the early to mid thirties range. His cheekbones where high and sharp and his nose was narrow and straight. His jaw was strong and square and set and coated by a thin coat of dark stubble. His face in general looked very angular like someone stood over him with a ruler until everything was set inhumanly straight. He seemed perfectly fine all black suit even though the heat of the day still lingered in the evening air and stood straight and stiff like a poker was shoved where the sun don't shine.

"How can we help you," Odd replied when he broke out of this trance.

"I'm looking for the Science building, and I'm new to the Kacid,"

"Uhm Kadic," Odd corrected. The stranger gave a small toothless smile, that didn't reach those black hole eyes of his.

"Yes how silly of me," the man chuckled softly. "I'll get the hang of it."

Odd rambled off the directions to the science building as Ulrich zoned out. This man did not sit well with him. He made him cynical and overwrought. The man stared at Ulrich, those dark eyes burning holes into his brown ones. The stare down was intese but Ulrich did not break his gaze. There was a feeling that crept up his spine and whispered bad things in his ear about this man. Ulrich was not a judgemental person but this man's very appearance made him distrustful. Odd finished giving directions and the man turned away from Ulrich to Odd.

"Thank you," he replied. He then turned to Ulrich again. "I couldn't help but over hear you have Psychology. I'm the new teacher, Mr. Dolous, and its nice to get to know my students mister...?"

"Ulrich Stern," he said coolly, not extending his arm for a customary handshake.

"Well Ulrich I look forward to seeing you in my class," he replied monotonously with that fake half smile that made Ulrich almost feel empty and cold. He turned and walked away, with four eyes on him until he rounded a corner and disappaeared from view.

* * *

"Was it me or was that guy an odd one?" said Odd as the they sat on Ulrich's floor. The sun set and the boys put on an old Sub Digitals CD as they disucssed the day's events.

"You're telling me. I mean, did you see the way he stared me down?" Ulrich asked.

"Don't feel so bad Ulrich, you're a good looking guy," Odd joked.

"This isn't the time for jokes Odd," Ulrich snapped. "That guy means trouble."

"So he walks, breaths and talks like a machine doesn't mean he's some kind of terrorist," Odd scoffed.

"How can you be so blasé abotu this!" Ulrich demanded. Odd shrugged.

"Five minutes with this guy and you think he's planning to take over the world? Maybe you should take it easy Ulrich..."

"What do you mean, 'take it easy?'" Ulrich asked, eyes narrowed and hand crossed. Odd got up and walked to the door.

"I'm just saying you're all paranoid now and tense. You're suspicious of a guy who's a bit funny and to say nothing of what you did to my face because you thought i was some kind of stalker," Odd said pointing to his swollen cheek and bruised eye.

Ulrich was quiet.

"I'm just saying, maybe you should rest yourself and not jump to conclusions. Take it easy buddy,"

Odd closed the door behind him and Ulrich plopped down onto his bed.

_I'm not overreacting! He's under reacting. That guy was weird and up to something. He doesn't sit well with me. I need to keep an eye on him_

Ulrich pulled the covers over himself as sleep came to claim him. His thoughts were invaded by images and thoughts of the mysterious man and the last thought Ulrich had before he entered darkness was that he was almost excited for Psychology.

**A/N: I know its a bit rough and nothing special but it'll get ****better. Maybe. I dunno yet.**


	2. Nightmares and Daydreams

**A/N: I was thinking about this story and spent two days rethinking it an coming up with other, and hopefully better ideas. And as soon as I was going to write this chapter, school, family and friend problems just crashed on me but basically gave me a vision of what the rest of the semester would look like. I didn't get a chance to edit this chapter and I apologize for any mistakes in advance**

_He was __sprinting through the woods, desperate to get to the factory. The world was falling apart around him. Buildings burned, cars were overturned and the earth was littered with the dead and injured. The screams of desperation, the sirens blaring trying to help, was all too much for him. It was defeaining but something cut through all the noise._

_"Ulrich!"_

_Ulrich turned and saw Yumi, battered, bruised and bloody trying her best to fight of XANA's polymorphic specters. She had one in a black blob shape on top of her and was struggling to keep it at bay. It tried mercilessly to claw her face but she barely managed to move her head at the last minute. Ulrich ran head on at the specter and tackled it. He got up quickly and attacked the specter, blindly throwing an array of punches and kicks. Each time his fist or foot connected Ulrich gained momentum and his attacks became more and more vicious. He closed his eyes at the intensity of of his assault until his body begged him to stop. Ulrich looked at his swollen, bruised hands covered in shiny, sticky, tepid blood. Ulrich frowned. Specters didn't bleed. He looked down__ dropped to his knees as his stomach plummeted to his feet. _

_Yumi's face was nearly un__recognizable. Her once pretty procelien face was ashen, tumid, and a pallet of sickly looking purples, harrowing blacks and muted blues. From her forhead to her chin were thin yet deep gashes spewing the last few drops of blood that pumped around her now lifeless, broken body. Her eyes eyes were still open and a tear that formed a minute ago, now rolled down her cheek and settled into the crevice of her smashed in nose._

_"Oh God," Ulrich moaned."No, no, no, no, no, no, no". Ulrich howled to the sky, his agonzing screams lay __onto of the noises of the commotion. He got up and puched a tree but he felt no pain. He felt numb and cold, like he too was dead. Ulrich stumbled over to the tree he punched and retched up the tangy, sour bile that had been settling at the base of his throat. He almost passed out and slumped against the tree breathing hard and trying to keep his focus._

_He had to get to the factory and help Jeremy. With unstable legs, he half limped, half stumbled his way to the man-hole. He started to descend the ladder before dizzines overtook him again and he fell about half way down. Ulrich landed hard on his feet and cried out in pain as he heard a loud snap. He pulled himself up against the wall of the sewer and almost cried when he saw a white shard poke out of his right leg. The skin was torn and bloody and could feel a sharp tinge that shot up from his mid-shin to his upper thigh. Ulrich almost passed out from the pain and __threw up again in the sewage. He was sweating like mad and was pallid looking. He could not stop though. He had to keep going. _

_He lifted himself up onto his left leg and with the wall for support he reached the other manhole near the factory .The climb up was a bit tough but soon Ulrich was hobbling over the bridge. He grabbed a rope and and swung down. He head a creaking noise and soon he was tumbling through the air. He landed on both his feet which would have prevented major damage to his left leg but only increased the pain to his right leg. Ulrich had to roll into the elevator. He went straight down to the scanner room where he knew a scanner was waiting for him. Within seconds he was transported to Lyoko where it was like the end of the world._

_Ulrich materialized in the mountain sector onto a crab which was none to happy to see him but Ulrich took care if it quickly but. But two had come to replace it. Ulrich struggled a bit but took care of it. There was a small cliff up ahead and Ulrich looked down and stumbled back a what he saw._

_There were a sea of monsters below him. Ulrich had never seen so many monsters since he first appaeared on Lyoko and now he was faced with blocks, crabs, kankerlauts, mega tanks, creeper and mantas. Ulrich saw the signs of __commotion the the middle of the monsters. It was Odd and Aelita, barely surviving. Ulrich raced towards them with no hesitation. _

_"Ulrich! 'Bout time you got here," said Odd before he got another block. ULrich did not answer but helped him protect Aelita. _

_"Listen, Ulrich, I'm almost out of life points and laser arrows, we need to move!" Odd commanded. __The trio slowly edged towards the tower taking a his every now and again. "Use your super sprint to take Aelita to the tower, I'll keep them off."_

_Ulrich picked up Aelita and dashed for the tower. He quickly weaved in and out of crabs legs, over kankerlauts, between block and under mantas. They were so close. Fifty yards...thirty-five...twenty...fifteen..._

_Ulrich felt his legs disappear from under him and a slight pain in his back. A mega tank had got him. He dropped Aelita and they tumbled towards the edge of the sector. Ulrich used his sword to stop the momentum, but Aelita almost flew over the edge. He was about to go and help her up but he saw Odd launched from the sea of monsters and almost sent over the edge too. _

_"Ulrich!" they both cried at the same time. Ulrich went forward to help his friends before another shot in the shoulder cut him off. The wave of monsters was advancing fast and a sea of lasers was coming his way. Using both his swords Ulrich used them to protect himself._

_"Ulrich I'm slipping" shouted Aelita._

_"I can't hold on much longer!" said Odd. _

_"I'm coming," Ulrich replied. He had one chance at saving both his friends. He was not choosing one or the other. He would lose no one else today, not under his watch. Ulrich got into his triplicate mode, but was caught of guard by a crab who had a near precise hit. This delay cost him greatly. Even with his super sprint Ulrich did not reach for his friends fast enough. Their grips failed and they both fell before his eyes. He could see the fear and disappointment in their eyes and it was enough to make him jump in after them, but something held him back. _

_He turned around and saw the scyphozoa. Its tentacles wrapped around him and he felt himself become paralyzed. He could feel he scyphozoa drain the very life out of him. It was almost like falling asleep but there was an elements of pain to it. This was it. This was the end. XANA won. He killed Yumi, and let Odd and Aelita get trapped within the digital void forever. What would happen to them then? Would they at least have each other? Or would the float around aimlessly for the rest of eternity. Jeremy would be in trouble by now but wouldn't have anymore trouble to worry about ever again. The darkness was consuming him for the last time. Ulrich looked up, not wanting the last vision he had to be of XANA's creations. He closed his eyes before the scyphozoa could do it personally._

I failed. I failed my friends, I failed my world, and I failed myself

* * *

Ulrich awoke with a start fighting his blanket. He was drenched in cold sweat and he quickly pulled off his cloths feeling them restricting his breathing. He rose out of his bed in his boxers and crept over to the windows with its blinds currently closed. He took a deep breath and peeked out a narrow space in the blinds. It was dawn, the sun had barely rose but it slightly illuminated the school before him, a vision that was like nothing he saw in his dream. Ulrich returned to his bed and collapsed on it lazily. Breathing deeply he tried to block out the horrible nightmare but choppy visions presented the self occasionally. It made a shudder crawl down his spine. He felt his skin get colder and more clammy. The twisting and turning of his stomach only grew more intense as he tried to expel the memories from his mind. He got up again and and grabbed his towel thinking a shower would help him relax.

He went to the showers, thankful he had woken up early so he wouldn't have to wait in lines or worry about hot water. He turned the faucet, got out of his boxers and stepped into the shower stall. He still felt dizzy from his horribly vivid nightmare and so he rested his forehead on the warm tiled wall infront of him.

"Just a dream Ulrich, XANA's gone for good and not coming back," he muttered to himself. The hot water pounded on his back slowly releasing he tenison in muscles. Although his body was calm and loose his mind was abuzz with questions.

_Why did I get this nightmare all of a sudden? I haven't thought about XANa since we defeated him. I had nightmares about it before but not even when we were fighting him did they get this bad. What's happening to me? Why was XANA so powerful in my dream? We were so off guard and the __specters they were so different. So realistic. They were better at changing that ever before, like they were one of us, and just waiting for the right oppurtunity to strike..._

Ulrich raised his head and turned off the shower wrapping his towel around himself. The steam from the shower trailed behind him in a white billowy form. Ulrich tensed a bit and realized that he had nothing to be afraid of. He shook his head and sighed at his anxiety and fear.

_I need to sort my head out_

* * *

"So this nightmare," Odd said between wolfing down forkfuls of pancakes, "XANA returned and kicked our asses?".

"Yea," said Ulrich taking a sip of his coffee. "Pretty bad too. He took over the world."

The boys had decided to grab breakfast of campus in a small cafe, a few blocks away. Ulrich didn't feel like discussing his nightmare in school and decided he and Odd should enjoy themselves before the school year started. And as lovely as Rosa was her bland watery eggs and cardboard like turkey bacon were easy to get sick of.

"So what else happened?" Odd asked.

"That's pretty much the gist of it really," Ulrich told him. Of course there was more that could be told but Ulrich didn't want o relive it again but he had to get it off his chest and off his mind. The boys settled into a taciturn state quietly enjoying their food. ULrich mulled over his dream again. Random visons swam in and out of his mind. This dream culd nat have been for nothing. It was so sudden and vivid it must have meant something...

A hand lay on Ulrich's shoulder. He tensed up and quickly shot up out of his seat, immediately getting down into defensive stance. Instead of the empty black eyes of a specter he was anticipating, he was met with a pair of startled green eyes.

"Jesus, Aelita don't do that!"

"Well I didn't think me putting a hand on your shoulder would but you on high alert," she said defensively putting her hands on her hips with an eyebrow cocked.

Ulrich sighed. "Sorry. I've just been on edge lately," he told her. She smiled at him and opened her arms. Ulrich smiled back and walked into her embrace. She had grown a bit over the summer but was still short enough that he could rest his head on the top of hers. Ulrich felt semi-bad for thinking it but Aelita had grown out more than up, something he hadn't noticed until she hugged him and something he would continue to notice, as bad as it may sound. But however much she'd change she'd always be, at least to him, the innocent girl who they resuced from the super computer and brought back into the real world.

Ulrich pulled back and gave her a small kiss on her forehead.

"Sorry for scaring you, Princess. Welcome back," he said.

"Ok ok," Odd said, squirming in between them throwing his arms around Aelita. He too gave her a kiss but since he was up to her height it only landed on her cheek.

"So when did you guys get here?" she asked as they retook their seats. Aelita slid next to Odd in the both and started picking from his and Ulrich's plate.

"Yesterday," they both replied. Aelita nodded and took a sip of Odd's milk.

"So have you faced Ulrich's wrath yet?" she joked.

"No," Odd told her. "But my face has". He turned the other side of his face to her with the swollen side and slightly bruised eye. Aelita gasped and Ulrich looked away in shame. Aelita reached out and touched it very tenderly.

"It's not so bad," Odd assured her, seeing the guilt on his friend's face. Ulrich's eyes were glued to the plate and he played with his food. Why couldn't he contain himself? Why was he so paranoid and on edge? Yes when he came back from summer breaks with his parents he was a little grumpy but never like this.

"So Aelita how was yours and Jeremy's vacation?" said Odd, quickly changeing the subject.

Aelita's eyes lit up and she rambled on about she went to Martinique with Jeremy and his parents.

"And Fort-de-France has such a city with rich history with with all the forts andd cathedrals and the library was just to die for!" she gushed.

Odd chuckled. "Looks like you and Jeremy had fun...and then some I bet."

Ulrich narrowed his eyes and the double entendre while Odd just shrugged innocently with a wicked smile on his face.

"Speaking of Einstein," said Ulrich diverting the conversation elsewhere, "where is he?".

"He said he would unpack and meet me here but i think he got caught up in this new computer he got," Aelita responded.

"Well let's make sure we can pry him away from the computer before the semester starts and he's unable to leave it," Ulrich suggested. Odd and Ulrich payed the bill and the trio walked back to the school.

"Hey, Ulrich," Odd whispered. He slowed his speed to match with Ulrich's slow skulking. "Check out Aelita".

"What?"

"She really grew over the summer don't you think?" Odd said mischievously nudging his friend in the stomach.

"Odd, don't be a pervert," Ulrich scolded.

"What? I'm a red-blood male, but I'm not the _only _red-blooded male,"

"Huh?"

"I'm just saying if Jeremy doesn't make a move quick Aelita's gonna end up in the hands of an actual pervert,"

"Ulrich frowned at the thought but figured Odd could be right.

They reached the front gates of the school and Aelita slowed her pace to match Ulrich and Odd's.

"You guys coming?" she asked. They both jumped hoping she hadn't heard their conversation. She stood with a hand on her hip and tapped her foot impatiently. The both quickened their pace to catch up to her. "Oh yeah, before we go I need to go get my schedule from the office."

They went to the office where Aelita's schedule was printed out. She reviewed it outside with Odd and Ulrich.

"Looks like we have Gym, History and Geometry together, Princess," Odd grinned.

"What else is on your schedule," Ulrich asked.

"Uh...Psychology. That's a class here now?"

"Yes, it is,"

The trio turned to see who had spoken. Odd stiffened and Ulrich's blood ran cold. It was Mr. Dolous, the new teacher. Ulrich peered at him curiously. There was something different about him. His face wasn't as...sharp as it was. His cheekbones weren't ass hollow and his nose seemed a little wider. He was still in an all black suit but left the tie and blazer and rolled up his shirt and unbuttoned the collar. He gave the three kids a smile, one that crinkled the sides of his arcane eyes. He introduced himself to Aelita and shook her hand.

"I look forward to having you in my class Aelita. You and Ulrich both,"

He looked at Ulrich. Black and hazel met in an intense gaze. Ulrich's uneasiness around Dolous increased and the gaze did too. The air began to get hot and Ulrich pulled at the neck of his T-shirt as little beads of sweat rolled down his neck. He felt nauseous and dizzy and his legs shook. The darkness of Dolous' eyes began to over take his vision. Odd and Aelita and the courtyard disappeared and were replaced by a murky shadown of darkness. Ulrich's head started to pound terribly as the darkness grew nearer. He couldn't move his body and darkness gradually consumed his vision until it was all black. His nightmares returned. Visions of the monsters, Odd and Aelita falling into the sea, Yumi's face, the earth's destruction...

The light returned a while later. It could have seconds, minutes or even hours. Ulrich blinked rapidly and realized he was on the ground with Odd, Aelita and Dolous surrounding him. He fainted. Except it was all so sudden. And he walked in the heat and was fine, standing around in it wasn't any worse.

"Are you ok Ulrich?" Aelita asked him holding him up by his arm. The dizziness stopped and Ulrich shook his head to clear it. Dolous also helped pull Ulrich up to his feet.

I'm fine," replied Ulrich yanking himself out of Aelita's and Dolous arms.

"You should get out the heat," said Dolous. "It's not good to stay out in the sun too long".

He and Ulrich locked gazes again. But Dolous stepped back a bit from Ulrich and turned to leave. Ulrich's eyes never left his when he turned away and he didn't mis the red flicker that danced across his eyes either.

**That box down there is ssoo lonely. You should fill it up with some words to make it and me happy :D**


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